Getting the privilege to talk to Mr. Aronson is something that I am very grateful for. He served in the Marine Corps and has continued to do so much for the Veteran Community.
Mr. Aronson is a patriot. “I love our country”, he said, “I like the ideals that it stands for and think that it’s an incredible place and provides incredible opportunities to people.” He applied to the United States Naval Academy because he wanted “to be part of a team that was going to contribute to the national good…to play a small part in our national defense.” This love and almost sense of duty is what inspired Mr. Aronson, and what has continued to fuel him.
Mr. Aronson was in middle school when 9/11 happened. Naturally, this had a huge impact on him. I can’t even imagine being alive during such a challenging time of national disarray and shock. Yet this tragedy just showed Mr. Aronson how much he had to be grateful for, something I need to remind myself of more often. “I knew I wanted to do something meaningful with my life,” he said.
In 2016, Mr. Aronson was deployed to Iraq for 9 months. There were only a few Americans left when he arrived. His purpose was to train the Iraqi Army and help their operations to take back their country from ISIS. The Marines were also there to provide support, whether that was artillery or bombs. “I feel lucky to have been there at the time I was because it was an important part of history,” he said.
While listening to Mr. Aronson talk about his experiences in Iraq, I couldn’t help but wonder if he ever got close to death. Iraq is (obviously) not the safest place, especially in his position as an American soldier. Mr. Aronson says, “oftentimes, they were shooting stuff that was homemade… so it wasn’t terribly accurate most of the time…but they did get very close a few times.” However, tough times never seemed to dampen his spirits. “I learned the value of tenacity,” he said. “I still think that facing challenges in your life is incredibly healthy; it’s very good for the spirit.” I understand that realizing that there are so many things that are out of your control is extremely vital.
Although Mr. Aronson left the Marine Corps after 6 years, his service did not end there. He is one of the co-founders of TheMilVet, a company where the “mission has grown to be focused on helping companies hire veterans into executive roles,” said Mr. Aronson. He started this because it is frankly ridiculous that Veterans struggle to find jobs. After all, they are some of the most accomplished and able people in society.
Mr. Aronson's advice to today’s youth is very simple and objective – “Get involved in service activities.” I take this to heart. We should all volunteer at something, whether at your church or local food drive. Get involved in something bigger than yourself. Be helpful to not only yourself but to the people around you.
*This is a picture of Mr. Aronson when he was commissioned in the Marines.
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